Virginia Lee (Miller) Randles, 75, of Decatur, died on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, in Carmel, IN, following a decades-long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, Feb. 11, at Robbie’s Grill in Decatur. A funeral and picnic celebration will be held during homecoming weekend in July in Nokomis.
Ms. Randles was born Jan. 10, 1948, in Springfield, to Clarence Lewis and Laura Marie Miller. She married Terry Randles of Decatur in September 1969, and they had two daughters, Kerri Lee in 1971 and Tobi Kay in 1975.
She was raised in Nokomis with her two sisters, Nancy Bradley and Elaine Goodwin of Nokomis. She attended Nokomis High School and after graduation, moved to Springfield to work for the state.
Ms. Randles, known most as Ginny, fearlessly raised her two daughters as a single mother, sometimes working three jobs to support them. She worked days at First National Bank and for many years the night shift at the legendary Decatur restaurant, The Blue Mill. She also had careers at the Clinton Power Plant, S and R Liquor, Kelly Construction, BWC, Inc. and selling Mary Kay Cosmetics.
During her years working at The Blue Mill, she had some of the best times of her life, forming a community with her fellow waitresses. Many good times were had dancing the night away at the Limelight, the Macon County Light Company and the original Lock Stock and Barrel (in its glory days).
Ms. Randles became a grandmother to her first grandchild, Chloe Cain, in 1994, and that role became her world. Liam, her first grandson, was born five years later in 1999. Piper followed in 2007 and Mimi in 2008. Her last grandson, Loyal, was born in 2018.
She was also known as Grandma Kitty, due to her love for cats. She was a wonderful grandma, taking pride in hosting sleepovers, making crawls (a family recipe), watching movies and of course, popping popcorn.
Loved by many, Ms. Randles was a beauty and a heartbreaker. Vibrant and strong-willed with an infectious laugh, she was the life and light of the party. Even in her last days she never stopped dancing.
She is survived by her oldest sister, Nancy (Jeff) Bradley of Nokomis; children, Kerri (Nelson Lindsley) Randles of Sonoma, CA, and Tobi (Brad) Mares; and grandchildren, Chloe Cain of Indianapolis, IN, Liam, Piper, Mimi and Loyal Lindsley.
Ms. Randles was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Elaine Kay Goodwin in June 2022. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.act.alz.org.
